


It's always you

by S_Horne



Series: A May Medley [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: BAMF Tony Stark, Canon-Typical Violence, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt Tony Stark, Kidnapped Tony Stark, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 16:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18673399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_Horne/pseuds/S_Horne
Summary: “What’s in the serum?”Tony let his head loll forward and he blinked slowly, the floor swimming beneath him. “A spoonful of sugar. Milkshake to bring those boys to–”The fist that shot out and smacked into his cheek was expected, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. Tony groaned and swallowed yet another mouthful of blood, the sharp tang disgustingly familiar.“Just tell us what’s in it,” his kidnapper said, voice low and throaty. There was obviously some sort of disguising technology in use to hide the real voice of the man, but Tony found it hard to be impressed. “We know you know. If you tell us, then it will be so much easier for us to replicate it. We won’t even have to touch the Captain.”ORNational Loyalty Day





	It's always you

**Author's Note:**

> Oh hey. I'm back. I came up with what I thought could be a fun idea - please read about it in the description of the series and see if you agree? Hope you all enjoy. Feel free to let me know if you don't.
> 
> This is the first day in May and is _National Loyalty Day_

“What’s in the serum?”

Tony let his head loll forward and he blinked slowly, the floor swimming beneath him. “A spoonful of sugar. Milkshake to bring those boys to–”

The fist that shot out and smacked into his cheek was expected, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. Tony groaned and swallowed yet another mouthful of blood, the sharp tang disgustingly familiar.

“Just tell us what’s in it,” his kidnapper said, voice low and throaty. There was obviously some sort of disguising technology in use to hide the real voice of the man, but Tony found it hard to be impressed by his kidnapper. “We know you know. If you tell us, then it will be so much easier for us to replicate it. We won’t even have to touch the Captain.”

Tony swallowed again, this time choking down a mouthful of bile that burned his throat. The thought alone was enough to turn his stomach. No one was going to touch Steve and get away with it.

“I’ll get it one way or another,” the man continued, mouth curving into a sick grin under the half-mask he wore. “You can tell me now or I shall take it by force. You don't help us make it now and we'll just take it from the source. We know all about the Captain and how to strike.”

“Really? So you know about his love for Piña Coladas?” Tony’s eyes fell closed as his hands twisted in their binds. God, but he was tired. So dreadfully tired. All he wanted to do was give into the sleep that was pulling at him and trying to drag him under, but he couldn't do that to Steve. He had to be strong. He had to be the person that Steve thought he was. “I took him to Puerto Rico once and that was all he drank for–”

That time the slap to the side of his face caught his eye and Tony’s chair wobbled dangerously before it settled. Tears sprung into his eyes and Tony’s face throbbed.

“Shut up,” he heard from somewhere above him. “All I want to know is how to replicate the serum. You have the secret, Mr. Stark. We know you do. This way is so much easier for all of us.”

“Actually, it’s Doctor Stark. Several times over.”

The man in front of Tony snarled darkly and Tony braced himself for another hit. When he felt a kick to his leg and the jolt of pain that it brought, he lifted his head with an immense amount of strength and hissed out a long breath.

“I’m not telling you anything,” he finally spat out, trying to keep his voice as steady as he could. He held the eyes of his captor and locked his jaw. “I’d rather die.”

 

/

 

It certainly felt close to dying, Tony had to give them that. Whoever these guys were, they had clearly given some thought to their torture techniques and Tony was far from their first victim.

“We only want to know what’s in the serum.”

Tony blinked up at the bulky man in front of him, not really registering too much. He was deep in a daze, the wave of pain finally having succeeded in dragging him into its clutches. Each blink seemed to last a minute and there was a steady stream of blood dripping down onto the floor in a staccato echoing around his brain.

“I want the formula.”

“I don’t have it,” Tony maintained weakly. His head was spinning and it was taking a momentous effort to keep himself awake. If this was how he went, then at least he could say that he'd tried. He had done his best to keep his knowledge to himself, to protect the one he loved. “It’s not something I ever wanted. I never cared to ask. It’s too dangerous for it to be mine.”

“Bullshit.” Tony heard the flick of the switchblade before he saw it and didn't have much time to prepare himself for its cold kiss. “And now I’ll make you tell me.”

 

//

 

Tony had always hated hospitals, but even he could admit that opening his eyes to a sterile room with a beeping machine at his side was a lot better than the alternative. The alternative being stuck whenever the fuck he’d been trapped before, with scary men beating him up and his arms tied to a rusting chair.

He allowed himself a long minute to relax at the thought of being safe and far away from that nightmare. And it was safety; Tony would recognise the insignia on the glass doors anywhere. He was in SHIELD medical, in a soft bed with bandages wrapped around his cuts and not a single knife in sight. Someone had come for him and Tony had an inkling that he knew who that had been. With great effort, Tony turned his head to the side and a smile tugged at his lips at the sight that greeted him, warmth blossoming in his chest.

Steve was slumped in an armchair to the left of Tony’s bed, hands resting on the edge of the mattress as though he’d been strecthing out for Tony. Though Tony had gotten a few strange looks when he’d suggested installing the upgraded chairs to replace the hard and plastic ones they’d had before, he was sure that Steve was grateful for them now. The Avengers all spent so many hours at bedsides down in medical that it made sense to provide some comfort. It looked as though Steve been there for a while already and Tony's heart twisted.

Without moving, Tony let his eyes roam over what he could see of Steve. His hair looked as though it had been raked through by wandering hands several times over and, even in sleep, there were deep and dark bags below his eyes. It went without saying that Steve looked beautiful, but Tony wished that he was looking beautiful in their own bed, no medical wing in sight.

As much as Tony hated to disturb the clearly-needed sleep of the other man, he really needed his medication and he knew that Steve would be able to help him. Tony grit his teeth and lifted his hand, just managing to knock Steve’s arm. The slight touch was enough to wake Steve up and Tony watched with distracted fondness as the man blinked slowly.

As soon as Steve’s eyes focused, his face spread into a smile.

“Hey, stud.”

Tony laughed, a weak and breathless sound that jolted his bruised ribs but felt so wonderful all the same.

“Hey,” he rasped out, words barely audible. “Missed you.”

Steve reached out, the backs of his fingers stroking across Tony’s forehead briefly. “And I you.”

Without having to be asked, Steve pulled away and turned to pour Tony a glass of water, holding its straw to Tony’s lips.

“You were just given something to help you sleep,” Steve said softly. “The nurses are due on their rounds soon, so you can ask about another dose of meds when they come in. They won’t be long at all, I promise.”

Tony swallowed the small mouthful of water like it was dust, his throat as dry as a desert. He didn’t want to wait, not with his body screaming at him, but he also couldn’t bring his mind to say that. He still felt sluggish and even his thoughts seemed to cause him pain.

There was a beat of silence before Steve placed the water back on the side table and very gingerly took Tony’s hand between his. He cradled it as though Tony were something precious, like the simplest touch would crush the fragile bone. There was a sort of desperation in his eyes, almost as though Steve was the one lying broken and battered in the bed. 

“I heard you, you know,” Steve said, voice quiet and eyes locked on the vicious bruising blossoming along Tony’s exposed skin. “When we came in, I heard you.”

Tony poked his tongue out and wet his bottom lip. “Heard what?”

“You talking.” Steve’s thumb started to stroke in soothing circles and Tony could have cried at the gentle familiarity. “He had you tied up and… you were barely even conscious, but you kept murmuring that you wouldn’t give me up. That there was no way you’d ever let them get me.”

“I wouldn’t,” Tony said, hoarse and broken but firm nonetheless. “Never.”

“Don’t say that.” Steve’s eyes closed as he lifted Tony’s hand to his lips. “Don’t, Tony. It’s only the serum – it isn’t worth your life.”

“It’s more than–,” Tony cut himself off when a flare of pain shot through his stomach, eyes screwed up and mouth open in a silent scream.

Steve pressed another kiss to Tony’s fingers. “Hey, hey, calm down. It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here and you’re safe.” Steve paused and waited until Tony let out a slow breath and settled back down into his pillow. “But you have to know that I’m not worth your life. My being here isn't worth you being in this bed, not like this. Tony, when I saw you… I don’t ever want to see that again, darlin’. It broke my heart. They can get the serum, _anyone_ can get it a hundred times over, and we’ll stop them before they can get too far. I will hand it over if it means that I don’t ever have to watch you fight for your life again. I don’t ever want to see you hurt, Tony. I’m never worth giving up for; nothing is ever worth giving up for.”

“You are.” Tony struggled to pull his hand from Steve’s grasp and, when Steve released him, he cupped Steve’s cheek. The pain in Steve’s eyes somehow cut Tony just as deep as the crack in his ribs and Tony couldn’t stand to see it any more. Despite the physical agony it brought, Tony stroked his thumb over the apple of Steve’s cheek. “You are worth everything.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> [I have a tumblr](https://s-horne.tumblr.com/) and I post lots of marvel stuffs


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